This one visited our lawn.
We saw another Great Blue Heron catch an exotic Plecostomus species in our back yard. I took the closeups through our back patio window. It flew across the lake and had it half-swallowed in a little more than five minutes. I was surprised how quickly the fish went down despite it poisonous spines.
My all-time favorite is this image of a Great Blue that caught another exotic fish (a Jaguar Guapote, native to Nicaragua), this time at Shark Valley in Everglades National Park.
Down the hatch!
Seen in Answers.com:
Q. Is a great blue heron a reptile?
A. i dont know but im sure the answer is yes
A. Look like a prehistoric bird to me
A. i dont know but im sure the answer is yes
A. Look like a prehistoric bird to me
From the Birds and Blooms Blog:
Re: identify this prehistoric bird?
… and all of a sudden, this “thing” looking like a prehistoric pterodactyl made very loud wild noise as it flew down from a treetop straight at me!
… and all of a sudden, this “thing” looking like a prehistoric pterodactyl made very loud wild noise as it flew down from a treetop straight at me!
Indeed, there is fossil evidence that herons have been around at least since the Miocene epoch. A 14 million year old specimen was recovered in the Observation Quarry in Nebraska, and Great Blue Heron fossils found in the Western Hemisphere date back 1.8 million years, to the Pleistocene epoch, about the same time when the first human fossils were discovered. (Reference: The Great Blue Heron, by Robert Butler, UBC Press, Jul 1, 1997).
This Great Blue chose a "goose roost."
Recently, I posted an image of a Great Blue Heron that suddenly decided to use the new duck decoy that floats the intake of our sprinkler system as a convenient fishing platform. Well, it's baaaaaack! There it was, in the pre-dawn semi-darkness, just outside our back patio door. I took several hand-held photos through the window, not expecting any to turn out very well. I was right!
The images were soft and badly back-lighted.
I stepped up the contrast and saturation and the bird was silhouetted against a background of living color.
The bird was so near that it did not fit into the frame unless it lowered its head.
I had to back up when it extended its neck.
Conveniently, a Pied-billed Grebe swam by, disturbing the still water.
Ken Schneider
Miramar, Florida and North Aurora, Illinois
ROSYFINCH RAMBLINGS
This is a wonderful post Ken, love the heron standing on the back of the goose!
ReplyDeleteAh, one of my favorite photographic subjects. Great photos, Ken.
ReplyDeleteGreat series Ken, and you're right I never get tired of them, and thay do look like they're from the past. Boom & Gary Of the Vermilon River, Canada.
ReplyDeleteYour first photo is absolutely exquisite! I enjoyed all the others, as well as the info. In my neck of the woods, I wouldn't exactly say they are approachable, however! Getting a good photo is a real challenge. Well done! Most enjoyable.
ReplyDeletewonderful post and super photos. I love you identified the fish it caught.
ReplyDeleteGreat series Ken. These serpentine strikers do seem to harken back to a time when things were bigger and more lethal, even when perched atop a decoy Mallard.
ReplyDeleteVery cool photos series Ken. I loved the images for all sorts of reasons.
ReplyDeleteEstupendas fotografías. Saludos.
ReplyDeleteGreat Blue Herons are one of my favorite subjects to photograph. Your images are outstanding! It is too difficult to select a favorite, as they are all wonderful. Very cool post!
ReplyDeleteThis caught my eye as I left comment on your most recent post. These are super good! I never see so much of the black feathering on the wings of the Great Blue Herons in KY.
ReplyDeleteI think these photos are terrific, don't ever think twice about posting ones of the Great Blue Heron, I enjoy all of them. And the ones of the Heron standing on the decoy are really funny!
ReplyDeleteFantastic photos and what a hoot with the heron on the "duck's" back! I can never get enough of these birds so post all the pics you want! Love the color saturation!
ReplyDeleteAmazing captures here! I intially noticed your "heron eating Nicaraguan fish" photos. So the heron can really get that whole fish down all the way okay?? I can't help but pity the poor pretty fish alittle here, if eaten, does it get swallowed down wriggling the whole way as well?!
ReplyDelete-Kyle
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